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退役 (tuì yì) — to retire (from military or sports); to be decommissioned; to be taken out of service (of equipment)

Definition

Used for retiring from the military or professional sports, or for decommissioning equipment. 退休 is for retiring from a regular job due to age.

verb
to retire (from military or sports)to be decommissionedto be taken out of service (of equipment)

Examples

  • ，退役。
    Tā bà ba shì jūn rén, qù nián tuì yì le.
    His father is a soldier and retired last year.
  • 退役。
    Nà wèi lán qiú yùn dòng yuán yīn wèi shòu shāng ér tuì yì le.
    That basketball player retired due to injury.
  • ，退役。
    Yóu yú jì shù gēng xīn, zhè xiē jiù shè bèi yǐ jīng tuì yì.
    Due to technological updates, these old devices have been decommissioned.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

退tuìwithdraw
役yìservice

退 gives withdrawing and 役 gives service, meaning to leave service or be taken out of use.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 皀皀jífood vessel
  • 夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 彳彳chìmovement; action
  • 殳殳shūa weapon, like a spear

役 pairs 彳 (movement) with 殳 (a weapon like a spear) to show someone moving with a weapon to guard a border, giving the idea of a duty or task.

Open 役 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Military & DefenseSports & Athletics

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